I was out running an errand in the Sunset with M. on one of those gorgeous Indian summer days when it hit me: we could head back home and I could spend the afternoon working as planned, or we could skip it and head to Ocean Beach. We were physically exactly halfway between both places and I was completely torn, so I did what any smart woman would do and called my sister! I could hear her shaking her head on the other end of the line as she sagely counseled me to head toward the water, despite having no baby beach gear (or mommy beach gear for that matter) on me.

On top of that I was starving, but I found a great place right off the N-Judah line that had exactly what we needed to fuel up before hitting the sand--Beachside Cafe. Something about the adirondack chairs out front and the folks gathered around the door peering inside at the menu gave me a great vibe. The menu is a typically Californian mix of lighter fare like salads, heavier staples like burgers and meatball sandwiches, and they also had some amazing-looking desserts in the cooler. There were even pies in the window! Who does that?

I somehow missed the salads and ordered the tofu sandwich, but the guy taking my order pointed it out and I'm really glad he did. That combined with the house cut french fries was a great combo--the salad had a tangy Asian dressing and was stuffed with carrots and tomatoes in addition to the tofu and was really filling. The glass of California Sauvignon blanc hit the spot as well. What can I say, when I take a day off I take a day off! M. and I were actually going stroller free on this day and she was safely snuggled in her Ergo for this trip, but there was plenty of room for a stroller, either inside or at one of their sidewalk tables.

We arrived around 2pm and there were a few patrons enjoying leisurely lunches with friends, reading, and working. M. was a bit more alert during this meal than most, so I walked her around a bit, and she loved snacking on the tomatoes from the salad. I never felt uncomfortable being there with a little one, and when I spotted the changing table in the bathroom I knew we'd made the right decision to head west. We didn't feel rushed and I even got to point out some of my favorite books in their library wall from Green Apple Books-every title is $5 and if I wasn't carrying a baby I most certainly would have snagged a couple.